Corn-planter.



No. 705,052. Patented July 22, I902.

n. ELEY. CORN PLANTER.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1901.) "N -J 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T NORRIS PETERS co wnofau'ma. WASHINDYON. n. c,

'No. 705,052. Patented July 22, I902.

u. ELEY.

CORN PLANTEB. Application filed. Dec. 19, 1901.

4 Sheets-sheaf 3.

a der/"e13 (llo Model.)

1 ETERS 00,. FNOTOLITHOW WASHINGTO UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

DAVID ELEY, OF LAKEFORK, OHIO.

CORN -PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 705,052, dated July22, 1902. Original application filed April 18,1901, Serial No. 56,891.Divided and this application filed December 19, 1901. Serial To all"whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID ELEY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Lakefork, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to corn-planters; and its object is to generallysimplify and improve the construction and increase the practicalefficiency of planters of this class; and to this end it consists incertain improved features of construction and combination of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described, and particularly defined in theappended claims.

The present application is a division of my prior application filedApril 18, 1901, Serial No. 56,391, and relates particularly to thecompensating gearing for operating the seeddropping mechanism atdifferent rates of speed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of acorn-planter embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the controlling compensating gearing for throwing thedropper mechanism into'and out of action. Fig. 5 is an outer side viewof the double bevel-gear thereof and the lower end of the controllingrod or shaft. Fig. 6 is a central cross section through the gearingshown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sec tion through the gearing.Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the lower end of thecontrolling-rod and associated parts. Fig. 7" is a section on line at mof Fig. 2, illustrating the adjustment of rod 46. Fig. 8.is aperspective View showing the upper end of the controlling-rod andassociated parts, the parts being separated and arranged in their properrelative positions. --Fig. dis a cross-section through the detent-plateshown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detailperspective view of the upper end of thecontrolling-rod and spring connected thereto. Fig. 11 is a perspectiveview of the hopper and feed-chute. Fig. 12 is a central verticallongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 13 is a section on the line 00a:of

Fig. 12, showing the feed-plungers. Fig. 14 is a detail perspective Viewof the bevel-pin- (No model.)

ion which drives the rotary feed-plate of the disassociated and arrangedin their proper relative positions.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1represents the rear or wheel frame; 2, the drive-shaft or axle; 3, thecarrying and covering wheels; 4:, the tongue or pole; 5, thefurrow-opening shoes or runners which open the soil to receive the seed;6, the seed-hoppers, and 7 the discharge-tubes or seed-chutes, connectedat their upper ends to the hoppers and at their lower ends to saidshoes. The bottom 8 of each hopper is flanged or channeled to receivethe lower edge of the hopper-body and is hinged at one side, as shown at9, to the upper front portion of the seed-chute 7 and is held secured atits rear side to said chute by means of aset-screw 10, mounted in abracket 11, projecting from the upper rear side of the chute. By thisconstruction the hopper is adapted to be tilted forward to permit ofready access being had to the seed-dropping mechanism to apply andremove interchangeable feed-disks to drop more or less seed, as desired.The bottom 8 has a feed-opening 10, through which the seed is dischargedfrom the hopper, and has mounted thereon a housing 11, in which arearranged two vertically-movable spring-actuated plungers 12, the purposeof which will be hereinafter explained.

Mounted upon the top of the seed-chute 7 is a supporting-plate 13,having a central opening 14: and a feed-hole 15, located beneath thehousing 11. Between this plate and the bottom 8 of the hopper isarranged a rotary feed-disk 16, in which are formed two or morefeedholes l7 and a central hole 18', provided at diametrically oppositepoints with notches 19. The feed-holes 17 form, with the solid portionof the supporting-plate 13, pockets for the reception of a predeterminedamount of seed passing from the hopper 6 and feeding downward throughthe opening 10 in the bottom 8 of said hopper, and as said disk rotatesthe holes 17 are brought into alinement with the feed-hole in thesupporting-plate 13, through which the seed drop down into thefeed-chute 7. As the feed-holes 17 come into alinement with the hole 15one plunger 12 strokes the hole, leaving it level full of seed, and whenthe hole comes below the other plunger the latter forces the seedthrough the hole 15 and into the chute 7. The springs 12 serve toproject the plungers and at the same time to allow them to recede underpressure from the holes 17 and ride upon the surface of the disk 16.

Into the opening 18 of the disk 16 fits a coupling plate or disk 20,which is provided with lugs 21 to seat within the notches 19 andpositively connect said plates or disks together to rotate in unison.Projecting upwardly through the center of the coupling plate or disk 20is a pin or bolt 22, having its head seated in a socket in the underside of the bevel-pinion 23 and the extremity of its stem threaded toreceive a nut 24, whereby it is held in position. The pinion 23 isformed with a hub 25, which extends loosely through the opening 14 inthe supporting-plate 13, and is provided with pins or projections 26,which enter sockets in the under side of the coupling-plate 20 andconnect said plate to turn with the'pinion. By this construction it willbe seen that as the pinion .rotates motion will be communicatedtherefrom to the coupling plate or disk 20 and that said coupling plateor disk will in turn communicate motion to the rotary feed-disk 16, andit will also be seen that the parts are so constructed and connected asto permit of the ready association and disassociation thereof forcleaning, repairs, or the substitution of new parts and to apply andremove feed-disks having larger or smaller holes 17 to drop more or lessseed.

The dropping mechanism of the two hoppers 6 receives motion from atransverse shaft 27, journaled in the front portion of the frame 1,which shaft is provided within the upper portion of each seed-chute ordischarge-tube 7 with a fixed bevel gear-wheel 28, which meshes with thepinion 23, and thereby communicates motion to the rotary feed-disk 16.The seed falling from the hopper into the seed-chute 7 drop into adischarge-opening formed in an oscillating valve 29, mounted upon apivot pin or bolt in the base of the chute and jointed to the lower endof a vibrating lever 31, which is adapted to be operated by a tappetblock or lug 32, fixed upon the shaft 27. At each half-revolution of theshaft a predetermined amount of seed when planting is discharged intothe said tube and falls into the pocket or opening of the oscillatingdischarge-valve 29, and simultaneously therewith the knocker-block 32operates to move the vibrating lever 31, which oscillates the valve tobring the pocket or opening therein into position to allow the seed todischarge into the furrow formed by the shoe or runner 5 and also toclose the feed-chute 7 at the top of oscillating valve 29. Aplate-spring or ribbon-spring 33 bears against the valve and lower armof the vibrating lever and serves to restore the same to their normalpositions after being operated by the said knocker-block.

The seed-dropping mechanism above described is controlled through theinstrumentality of the following compensating mechanism: On thedrive-shaft 2 is mounted a sleeve 34, which is fixed thereto by means ofa setscrew 35 and is provided with radial arms 36, carrying stub-shafts37, on which are revolubly mounted cone-shaped bevel-pinions 38. On oneside of these pinions is mounted a bevel gear-wheel 39, which turnsloosely on the shaft 2 and is formed with a laterally projecting sleeve40, which is adapted to bear against a collar 41, rigidly secured tosaid shaft, and has formed thereon a sprocketwheel 42, which isconnected by means of a sprocket-chain 43 with a sprocket wheel orpinion 44 on the forward transverse shaft 27, whereby said latter shaftis driven. On the opposite side of the pinions 38 is arranged adouble-bevel gear-wheel 45, which is loosely mounted on the axle 2 andis adapted to bear against a collar rigidly secured to said axle. In thenormal arrangement of the parts when the seed-dropping mechanism is notrunning the pinions 38 contact only with the toothed face of thegear-wheel 39, and as the gearing of the dropper mechanism opposes aresistance to the rotation of said wheel 39 the pinions 38 do not turnthe same, but simply rotate on their axes (the short shafts 37) incontact with said gear. During this operation of the parts the innertoothed face of the double gear-wheel 45 is out of mesh with the pinions38. \Vhen it is desired to throw the seed-dropping mechanism intooperation the double-bevel gear is moved inwardly on the shaft or axle 2away from the collar 45 toward the pinions 38, so as to bring its innertoothed face into mesh therewith, whereby upon said double-bevel gearbeing held stationary the pinions will be caused to transmit motion tothe loose gear 39, by means of which motion is communi' cated to thesprocket-wheel 42 and, from said sprocket-wheel through the medium ofthe chain 43 and sprocket wheel or pinion 44 to the transverse shaft 27,whereby motion is imparted to the rotary feed-disks of the said droppingmechanism in the manner heretofore described. The double gear-wheel 45is adapted to be revolved and moved toward the pinions 38 and held inengagement therewith by means of a controlling-rod 46, which carriesatits lower end a fixed pinion 47, which is adapted to mesh with the outertoothed face of the gear-wheel 45. The rod 46 is vertically movable tobring the pinion 47 into and out of gear with the gear-wheel 45 and ismounted to slide at its lower end in an eye 48 on a bracket 49 and atits upper end through an opening formed in a notched or toothed plate50. The bracket 49 is formed at its lower end with a hanger 51, whichpivotally connects it with the shaft 2 to swing in the arc of a circlein a direction longitudinally of the frame and has a pawl 52, which isadapted to cooperate with a rack 53, secured to the frame 1 to hold itsecurely in adjusted position. The bracket 49 is also formed with asocket in which is stepped or fitted the lower end of a standard 54,which is secured at its upper end to the notched or toothed plate andserves as a support for said plate and for the upper end of thecontrolling-rod 46. The rod 46 is bent at right angles at its upper endto form a bearing for a pivoted hand-lever 56, which is formed at oneend with a crank-handle 57 and at its other end with a fixed pawl or(log 58, having a cam-shaped end or extremity 58, as clearly shown inFig. 8. This dog is adapted to engage in the notches between teeth 59,formed upon the upper surface of the plate 50 to hold the rod or shaftagainst rotary movement and is normally held seated by means of apressure-spring 60, mounted upon the said angular end 55 of said rod.When it is desired to withdraw the pinion 47 from engagement with thedouble gear-wheel 45, the handle 57 of the lever56 is grasped and forcedupwardly, thereby bringing the rounded or cam-shaped extremity 58 of thepawl into engagement with the plate 50 and causing it to act as afulcrum, whereby the controlling-rod 46 is elevated and the pinion 47withdrawn from engagement with said double gearwheel. The purpose ofmounting the bracket 49 to swing upon the axle or shaft 2 is to permitof the controlling-rod being swung backward and forward, according tothe position of the drivers seat 84 upon the seat-bar 82, to adjust thelever 56 to the front or rear, so as to be within easy reach of theoperator from his position on said seat. The pawl 52 is withdrawn fromengagement with the rack 53 to permit of this swinging movement of thecontrolling-rod and associated parts and is then engaged with the rackto hold said rod and parts in adjusted position.

By means of the rod 46, pinion 47, and handlever 56 the compensatinggearing may be thrown into and out of action and regulated to drive theshaft 27 at varying speeds, to stop the dropping mechanism, and tooperate the same to drop the seed fast or slow, as circumstances mayrequire. The compensating gearing is thrown into and out of action bymoving the pinion. 47 into and out of engagement with the outer toothedface of the double-bevel gear 45, as hereinbefore described. WVhen thepinion 47 is brought into engagement with the gear 45 and the latter isforced inward, thereby to bring its inner toothed face in cngagemcntwith the pinions 38, the parts are disposed as in Fig. 4 for operationto drive the dropper mechanism at its normal speed. The parts of thegearing are so proportioned and arranged that when said parts arearranged as shown in Fig. 4 and the bevel-gear 45 is held stationary bythe pinion 47 the motion of the axle 2 will be communicated to thegear-wheel 39 and multiplied through the action of the pinions 38 torotate said gear-wheel 39 at a higher rate of speed than said axle, thegear-wheel 39 revolving twice upon each revolution of the axle 2. Whenit is desired to have the dropper mechanism operated at less speed, thecrank-handle 57 of the lever 56 is forced down to release the pawl 58from engagement with the teeth on the plate 50, and said crank-handle isthen turned to rotate the rod in the proper direction to cause thepinion 47 to turn the double-bevel gear-wheel 45 forwardly or in thedirection of revolution of the axle 2. The pinions 38 will then look thetwo gear-wheels 39 and 45 together, and as the gear-wheel 45 ispermitted to rotate by the rotation of the rod 46and pinion 47 it willbe seen that both gears will be caused to turn with the axle 2, and totherefore make one revolution upon each revolution of said axle, therebydriving the dropper mechanism at a lower rate of speed. When, on theother hand, it is desired to drive the dropper mechanism at a muchhigher rate of speed than that afforded by holding the gear 45 fixed orturning said gear forwardly, this may be accomplished by turning the rod46 and pinion 47 ,by the hand-lever 57 to revolve the gear 45rearwardly, whereupon the pinions 38 will be revolved in a reversedirection to the direction of rotation of the sleeve 34, producingachange in leverage,which causes a correspondingly greater speed ofrevolution of the pinions 38, whereby higher speed is imparted to thegear-wheel 39. It will thus be seen that by simply holding thegear-wheel 45 fixed or by turning it in one direction or the other thespeed of the gear-wheel 39 may be varied to operate the droppermechanism slow, fast, or at normal speed, as desired or circumstancesmay require.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and details of construction maybe made within the scope of the invention without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a corn-planter, the combination of driving means, droppermechanism, compensating gearing between the driving means and droppermechanism to throw the latter into and out of action and to operate thesame at different rates of speed, and means for controlling'saidcompensating gearing, snbstantially as described.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, compensating gearingbetween the shafts and adjustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, and means foradjusting said compensating gearing, substantially as described.

3. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, compensating gearingbetween the shafts and adjustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, markersmounted upon the driven shaft, and means for adjusting said compensatinggearing, substantially as described.

4. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, variablespeed gearingbetween the shafts and adj ustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, said gearingincluding a pair of gear members loose on the drive-shaft, anintermediate gear fixed to turn with the driveshaft and independentlyrevoluble, said intermediate gear being normally in engagement With'oneof said pair of gear members, andmeans for moving the other gear memberinto engagement with said intermediate gear and for rotating said gearmember to vary the speed of the gearing,substantially as set forth.

5. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, variablespecd gearingbetween the shafts and adj ustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, said gearingincluding a pair of gear members loose on the drive-shaft, anintermediate gear fixed to turn with the driveshaft andindependentlyrevoluble, said intermediate gear being normally in engagement with oneof said pair of gear members, a shifting and driving device by which theother gear member may be shifted into engagement with said intermediategear, and by which said gear member may also be rotated, andmanually-operable means for actuating said shifting and driving devicefor performing the described functions, substantially as set forth.

6. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, variablespeed gearingbetween the shafts and adjustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, said gearingincluding a power-transmitting gear loose on the drive-shaft, a doubleshiftable speed-changing gear also loose on the drive-shaft, anintermediate gear normally in engagement with the power-transmittinggear, said intermediate gear being mounted to turn with the drive-shaftbut indendently revoluble in a plane at right angles to said shaft, apinion for engaging one of the toothed faces of the double gear, andmeans for operating said pinion for shifting said double gear to bringits other toothed face into engagement with intermediate gear, and forrotating said double gear, substantially as set forth.

7. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, variablespeed gearingbetween the shafts and adj ustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, said gearingincluding a power-transmitting gear loose on the drive-shaft, a doubleshiftable speed-changing gear also loose on the drive-shaft, anintermediate gear normally in engagement with the power-transmittinggear, said intermediate gear being mounted to turn with the drive-shaftbut independently revoluble in a plane at right angles to said shaft, apinion engaging one of the toothed faces of the double gear, a rodcarrying the pinion, means for moving the rod vertically to move thepinion into and out of engagement with the double gear, thereby bringingsaid double gear into and out of engagement with the intermediate gear,and means for turning, said rod for rotating the pinion and double gear,substantiallyas set forth.

8. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drive-shaft, a driven shaft,dropper mechanism operated by the driven shaft, variablespeed gearingbetween the shafts and adjustable to stop the operation of the drivenshaft and to drive said shaft at different rates of speed, said gearingincluding a power-transmitting gear loose on the drive-shaft, a doubleshiftable speed-changing gear also loose on the drive-shaft, anintermediate gear normally in engagement with the power-trans mittinggear, said intermediate gear being mounted to turn with the drive-shaftbutindependently revoluble in a plane at right angles to said shaft, apinion 4 engaging one of the. toothed faces of the double gear, a rodcarrying the pinion, means for moving the rod vertically to move thepinion into and out of engagement with the double gear, thereby bringingsaid double gear into and out of engagement with the intermediate gear,means for turning said rod for rotating the pinion and double gear, andmeans for positively locking the rod in adjusted position, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DAVID ELEY.

Witnesses: V

B. F. PAULLIN, W. R. PAULLIN.

